Welded fabricated ball valve

ABSTRACT

A valve body construction comprising a tubular body member with a closure received in one end thereof against an internal abutment. A lock ring engages against the outer face of the end closure around its outer edges and is welded to one end of the body member to hold the closure in place, contraction of the weld during cooling serves to clamp the closure tightly in place. In a preferred embodiment, the other end of the tubular body is swaged inward to a small diameter opening whereby a hub may be welded directly to the edge of the opening, eliminating the need for a second end closure.

D United Seates Patent 1151 3,666,237 Piccardo 1 May 30, 1972 541 WELDEDFABRICATEI) BALL VALVE 3,068,887 12/1962 Grove ..251 315 x 3,497,1782/1970 Priese ..251/315 X [72] Invent Jack Oakland Cahf' 3,277,91910/1966 Piccardo ..251/315 x [73] Assignee: Grove Valve and RegulatorCompany,

Oakland Calif FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 230,694 4/1963 Austria..251/315 cl. 2 197 [22] me May 1 1,207,741 12/1965 Germany ..251/315[21] Appl. No.: 39,459

Primary Examiner-Samuel Scott 1: -M 1 R. St'dh 52 us. c1 ..251/367 A eam Int. [58] Field ofSearch ..251/315,317,309,366, 148,

251/151, 152, 367; 29/157,] A valve body construction comprising atubular body member with a closure received in one end thereof againstan internal [56] References Cited abutment. A lock ring engages againstthe outer face of the end closure around its outer edges and is weldedto one end of UNITED STATES PATENTS the body member to hold the closurein place, contraction of the weld during cooling serves to clamp theclosure tightly in 2,890,017 6/1959 Shafer ..251/174 place. In apreferred embodiment the other end ofthe tubular 3,235,226 2/1966 Allen....251/315 X body is swaged inward to a small diameter opening wherebya Ol1ver X h y be welded i ly to the g of the p g, 3,41 1,746 1 H1968Scaramucc1 ..251/315 eliminating the need for a Second end c]osure3,339,887 9/1967 Hutchens.... ....25l/315 X 3,155,368 11/1964 Shafer,.251/315 X 6Claims, 1 Drawing Figure I M 93 a 84 i 52 5 86 7 76 l 98 4,,M 6 W W I l 1 I4 I02 96 66 /z '2 WELDED FABRICATED BALL VALVEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a weldedfabricated valve body construction and, more particularly, to a valvebody of welded construction that may be disassembled for entry withoutdestruction of the valve body.

In some valve structures, such as gate or ball valves, it has beendeemed advantageous not to cast the body, but to fabricate it of tubularmembers and rolled shapes, with at least one removable closure providingconvenient access for repair or replacement of internal components. Inthe case of certain welded body valves, it is necessary to sever ordestroy the body in order to gain internal access. In the case of endclosures that are held in place by bolts threaded into an end face ofthe body or housing, the body walls have to be excessively thick in mostareas in order to compensate for material removed in the area of thetapped holes. In addition, the radially outward location of the boltsbeyond the inner surface of the body leaves a substantial bending momentarm across the surface of the body under internal pressures.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide afabricated valve body construction with an end closure that fits withina tubular body member to minimize the bending moment arm across it.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid tight valvebody suitable for off-shore installation without bolt corrosion andfailure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fabricated valvebody without requirement of bolts.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a valve body with aremovable closure without bolting.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a valve bodyconstruction with minimum wall thicknesses.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe detailed description to follow when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the preferred embodiment of thisinvention, the main body member is of cylindrical tubular configurationover most of its length, although swaged inward at one end to form anintegral end closure. A hub with means for connecting it to a pipe lineis welded directly to the swaged end. A valve ball with bearing blockscarried on its trunnions is inserted through the open end of the valvebody until flanges on the trailing ends of the bearing blocks contact aninternal shoulder in the valve body. Then, an end closure with seatrings mounted thereon is inserted into the open end to clamp the bearingblock flanges against the internal shoulder. Finally, a lock ring of across section sufi'rcient to take internal loads against the end closureis placed against the outer face of the end closure around the edgethereof, and securely welded to the body top. As the weld cools, itcontracts and draws the ring more flrrnly against the end closure toclamp the bearing block flanges more tightly. When it is desired torepair or replace internal components, the weld securing the lock ringto the body is simply cut away and, after repairs, a replacement lockring is welded to the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing is a vertical section ofthe ball valve embodying features ofthis invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing withgreater specificity, there is shown a ball valve including a generallycylindrical main body tube 12 which is swaged inward at 14 to form anintegral end closure with a reduced diameter end opening 16. A hub 17may be formed from a piece of pipe and is provided at one end with astandard pipeline joint as, for example, the weld end 18 shown. Itsother end is bored at 20 and 22 to accomodate a seat ring 24 and holes26 are drilled around its circumference to accomodate a plurality ofcoil springs 28. After the hub is so bored and drilled, it is placed inthe swaged-in end opening 16 and welded securely in place at 30.

A removable end closure 32 for the opposite circular end 33 of the bodytube 12 is bored at 34 and 36 to accomodate a seat ring 38 and aplurality of holes 40 are drilled around its circumference to accomodatebiasing springs 42. The end closure 32 may be formed with an integralhub 44 and a pipeline connection joint such as the standard flange 46shown.

The seat rings 24 and 38 are preferably provided with' resilient mainseals such as O-rings 48 to seal against the valve ball 50. The ball 50has a flow passage 52 therethrough, which in open position, is alignedwith flow passages 54 and 56 in the end closure hubs 17 and 44.Additional O-rings 58 are provided to seal around the seat rings 24 and38.

The valve ball 50 has oppositely disposed top and bottom trunnions 60and 62 received in upper and lower bearing blocks 64 and 66, eachcarrying a suitable bearing 67. A pin 68 in one end of each bearingblock 64 and 66 is received in locating blocks 70 welded in the bodytube 12, and on the other end of each bearing block, a pin 72 engages inthe end closure 32. The pins 68 and 72 locate the bearing blocks 64 and66 in fixed parallel relationship with the axis of the trunnions 60 and62 located on the desired rotational axis of the valve ball 50. Afterthe ball and the bearing blocks are in place, a stem 74 is insertedthrough an opening 76 in a top mounting block 78 which is welded at 80to the body. A seal ring 82, which is held in place by a split ring 83,a retainer ring 84 and a snap ring 86, carries O-rings 88 and 90 to sealaround the stern. Hence, simply by removing the snap ring 86 andretainer ring 84, the split ring 83 may be removed for removal of theO-rings 88 and 90, and even the stem 74. A fitting 91 may be provided totest for leakage past the lower stem seal 0- ring 90. Pins 92 connectthe stem 74 to the upper trunnion 60 in order to transmit rotationthereto. A stop plate 93, keyed to the stem 74 engages cap screw stops94 to indicate the open and closed positions of the valve.

The bearing blocks 64 and 66 have radial flanges 95 which seat againstan internal shoulder 96 in the valve body. When the end closure isfirmly in place, with the bearing block flanges 95 clamped against theshoulder 96, the lock ring 98 is pressed against the radial face 100 ofthe end closure. Then, a full-depth weld 102 is placed between the lockring 98 and the annular end face 33 of the body tube 12, and on the endclosure 32 to unite the body band 12 to the lock ring 98, and the endclosure 32, forming a unitary structure. As the weld is placed, acooling fluid may be circulated through the valve body in order toprevent damage to O-rings, bearings and other components susceptible todamage by heat. As the weld cools, it contracts, increasing the clampingpressure against the bearing block flanges 95, thus insuring that therotational axis of the valve ball 50 is fixed. With completion of theweld, the valve 10 is fluid-tight and there are no bolts holding bodyclosures in place. As such, the valve is particularly suitable foroff-shore installation where bolts are subject to corrosive failure.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with a preferredembodiment thereof, it is apparent that modification and changes thereinmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A valve structure comprising a tubular main body member,

an end closure having a flow passageway therethrough a portion of saidend closure being received in one end of said main body member means insaid body member forming an axially inward abutment for said closure,

a lock ring engaging the outer face of said end closure around the edgethereof, and

a weld around and between said lock ring and said one end of the mainbody member.

2. The valve structure defined by claim 1 wherein:

said end closure portion extends outside said body member and said lockring is spaced from said one end so that said weld unites said bodymember, end closure and lock ring.

3. The valve structure defined by claim 1 including:

a valve member,

trunnions on said valve member,

a pair of bearing blocks rotatably receiving said trunnions,

a radial shoulder in said body member near said one end,

and

a radial flange on each of said bearing blocks engaging said shoulder,

said radial flanges forming said inward abutment for said closure,whereby said bearing blocks are clamped thereby,

said valve member with beating blocks on said trunnions being removablethrough said one end of the body member when said closure member isremoved.

4 The valve structure defined by claim 3 including:

a stem extending through an opening in said main body member and coupledto one of said trunnions,

a seal ring around said stern, and

a removable retainer in said opening, holding said stern and seal ringin place 5. The valve structure defined by claim 1 wherein:

the other end of said tubular main body member tapers inward to areduced diameter opening, and including:

a tubular hub welded to the edge of said opening.

6. The valve structure defined by claim 5 wherein:

said main body member is cylindrical over a portion of its length fromsaid one end.

t i i

1. A valve structure comprising a tubular main body member, an endclosure having a flow passageway therethrough a portion of said endclosure being received in one end of said main body member means in saidbody member forming an axially inward abutment for said closure, a lockring engaging the outer face of said end closure around the edgethereof, and a weld around and between said lock ring and said one endof the main body member.
 2. The valve structure defined by claim 1wherein: said end closure portion extends outside said body member andsaid lock ring is spaced from said one end so that said weld unites saidbody member, end closure and lock ring.
 3. The valve structure definedby claim 1 including: a valve member, trunnions on said valve member, apair of bearing blocks rotatably receiving said trunnions, a radialshoulder in said body member near said one end, and a radial flange oneach of said bearing blocks engaging said shoulder, said radial flangesforming said inward abutment for said closure, whereby said bearingblocks are clamped thereby, said valve member with bearing blocks onsaid trunnions being removable through said one end of the body memberwhen said closure member is removed.
 4. The valve structure defined byclaim 3 including: a stem extending through an opening in said main bodymember and coupled to one of said trunnions, a seal ring around saidstem, and a removable retainer in said opening, holding said stem andseal ring in place.
 5. The valve structure defined by claim 1 wherein:the other end of said tubular main body member tapers inward to areduced diameter opening, and including: a tubular hub welded to theedge of said opening.
 6. The valve structure defined by claim 5 wherein:said main body member is cylindrical over a portion of its length fromsaid one end.